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What's After the Movie?
Romantic comedy

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) movie poster

The Secret of My Succe$s is a 1987 romantic comedy directed by Herbert Ross, starring Michael J. Fox, John Pankow and Helen Slater. It runs 1 hour 51 minutes and earned $111 million worldwide. Critics gave it 36 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$111M
Metascore
36
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The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 51m (111 min)
Director
Herbert Ross
Genres
Comedy , Romance
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Secret of My Succe$s About?

The premise of The Secret of My Succe$s without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A recent college graduate leaves his small Kansas hometown for the bustling city of New York, hoping for a promising job. However, his dream job isn's available, and he finds himself working alongside his well-meaning but clumsy Uncle Howard. To advance his career, Brantley pretends to be a successful executive, adopting a fabricated persona and navigating the challenges of corporate life with a humorous and inventive approach.

The Secret of My Succe$s Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • yuppie
  • incest
  • corporation
  • business takeover
  • aunt nephew relationship
  • office job
  • 1980s
  • office worker
  • job promotion
  • businessman
  • new york city
  • dual identity
+38 more
  • love triangle
  • mistaken identity
  • older woman younger man relationship
  • success
  • cheating wife
  • cheating husband
  • board meeting
  • assumed identity
  • business
  • camera shot of feet
  • foot closeup
  • female stockinged feet
  • pantyhose
  • pay phone
  • reference to dorothy gale
  • reference to toto the dog
  • young
  • man
  • kansas
  • dream girl
  • pretending to drown
  • blonde woman
  • female business executive
  • throwing a vase
  • throwing something at someone
  • telling someone to shut up
  • florida
  • adulterous husband
  • reference to james bond
  • redheaded woman
  • 24 year old
  • business meeting
  • diving into swimming pool
  • diving board
  • rearview mirror
  • skyscraper
  • photocopying
  • mailroom clerk
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Cast & crew

The Secret of My Succe$s Cast

Michael J. Fox leads the cast, with John Pankow and Helen Slater. Directed by Herbert Ross; 9 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Herbert Ross

More films directed by Herbert Ross, best-rated first: Play It Again, Sam, The Turning Point, The Goodbye Girl and Pennies from Heaven.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Secret of My Succe$s Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Secret of My Succe$s 36 on Metacritic.

Plot

The Secret of My Succe$s Plot Summary

What happens in The Secret of My Succe$s from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 16 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Brantley Foster, played by Michael J. Fox, is a determined young graduate who has just completed his business degree in the heart of Kansas. Eager to embark on his professional journey, he relocates to the bustling streets of New York City to start an entry-level position at a prominent investment firm that he secured while still a student. However, upon arrival at his new workplace, he comes to a shocking revelation: the firm is on the brink of shutting down due to a hostile takeover, leaving Briantley and 90% of his fellow employees without a job. Despite this setback, Brantley’s spirit remains unbroken as he continues to seek new opportunities.

Full summary

The whole story of The Secret of My Succe$s, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Secret of My Succe$s Box Office

The Secret of My Succe$s grossed $111 million worldwide. $67 million came from the US and Canada and $44 million (40%) from the rest of the world.

1987 box office

Worldwide gross

$111M

US & Canada
$67M
International
$44M
US & Canada 60% Rest of the world 40%
Videos

The Secret of My Succe$s Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

The Secret of My Succe$s Official Trailer #1 - Michael J. Fox Movie (1987) HD
  • Trailer The Secret of My Success 1987 Trailer HD | Michael J. Fox | Helen Slater
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Secret of My Succe$s?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Brantley Foster's degree in?

Cars

Cars in The Secret of My Succe$s

19 cars on screen, including the 1986 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine and the 1983 Dodge Diplomat.

All 19 cars
  • 1986 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine in The Secret of My Succe$s 1986 Lincoln Town Car Stretched Limousine Important role
  • 1983 Dodge Diplomat in The Secret of My Succe$s 1983 Dodge Diplomat Minor role
  • 1980 Chevrolet Camaro in The Secret of My Succe$s 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Background role
  • 1979 Chevrolet Impala in The Secret of My Succe$s 1979 Chevrolet Impala Background role
Details

The Secret of My Succe$s Also Known As

28 alternative titles, including “O Segredo do Meu Sucesso” and “El Secreto de mi Exito”.

Also known as
  • O Segredo do Meu Sucesso
  • El Secreto de mi Exito
  • 发达之路
  • 成功的秘密
  • Das Geheimnis meines Erfolges
  • Le Secret de mon succès
  • Il segreto del mio successo
  • El secreto de mi éxito
  • Tajemnica mojego sukcesu
  • Forført til succes
  • Секрет моего успеха
  • Dupla vagy semmi
+16 more
  • Tajemství mého úspěchu
  • Secretul succesului meu
  • סוד ההצלחה שלי
  • Benim Başarım
  • Тайната на моя успех
  • 我的成功秘密
  • Mano sėkmės paslaptis
  • Το Μυστικό της Επιτυχίας μου
  • 나의 성공의 비밀
  • 摩天楼(ニューヨーク)はバラ色に
  • Menestyksen avain
  • Nyckeln till framgång
  • Tajna mog uspjeha
  • Секрет мого успіху
  • Tajomstvo môjho úspechu
  • สูตรรักสำเร็จรูป

Seen The Secret of My Succe$s?

FAQ

The Secret of My Succe$s FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Secret of My Succe$s, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Secret of My Succe$s?

The Secret of My Succe$s runs 1 hour 51 minutes (111 minutes).

When was The Secret of My Succe$s released?

The Secret of My Succe$s was released on April 10, 1987.

Who directed The Secret of My Succe$s?

The Secret of My Succe$s was directed by Herbert Ross.

More films by Herbert Ross

Who is in the cast of The Secret of My Succe$s?

The Secret of My Succe$s stars Michael J. Fox, John Pankow and Helen Slater, among 9 credited actors.

How much did The Secret of My Succe$s make at the box office?

The Secret of My Succe$s grossed $111 million worldwide ($67 million domestic, $44 million international).

How is The Secret of My Succe$s rated?

The Secret of My Succe$s has 36 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.

Does The Secret of My Succe$s have a post-credit scene?

No. The Secret of My Succe$s has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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